The park corridor was eerily quiet that afternoon.
Rose slowed her pace as someone called her name and stepped out from under a shady tree, blocking her path to the student dormitory.
“Rose.” Rose snorted softly, immediately adopting a cold expression.
She stared at Rayland, who stood before her with a faint, sweet smile, but in her eyes, it didn’t hide his cunning at all.
Rayland had been trying to get close to her since his first year at the academy, according to the novels—a constant pursuit that paralleled Prince Seilas’s.
He thought that by continuing to be sweet, the girl’s defenses would crumble over time.
“What’s wrong, Rayland?
If there’s nothing important I’m leaving,” Rose said curtly, keeping a few steps away.
Rayland chuckled softly, shoving a hand into his uniform pocket.
“Wow, so fierce.
I was just trying to unwind and happened to see you.
By the way, how’s your little brother?
Lucien, is he feeling better?” Rose narrowed her eyes.
Her heart fluttered slightly with suspicion.
She knew Rayland’s nature well; he rarely spoke without an ulterior motive.
Rayland had deliberately used the topic of Lucien—whom he knew Rose loved like a brother—in the hope that Rose would relent and give him a chance.
She had seen such cheap tactics too often over the years.
“He’s fine.
It’s none of your business,” Rose replied sharply.
“Really?
That’s good then, poor thing,” Rayland teased in a gentle tone that sent shivers down Rose’s spine.
“As his senior, I’m just worried.
Hasn’t Prince Seilas been paying attention to him lately, too?
Shouldn’t I?” Rose looked at Rayland with obvious annoyance.
“Don’t change the subject, Rayland.
And stop meddling in my or Lucien’s business.
If that’s all you wanted to ask, I’ll excuse you.” ”Wait a minute, Rose.
Why do you always avoid me every time I try to approach you?
Have I made such a big mistake these past three years?” Rayland asked in a sad tone.
“Your mistake is to keep interfering in things that are none of your business.
Move aside, let me pass,” Rose replied without even looking back.
Without waiting for an answer, Rose turned around and left Rayland standing alone.
Her heart suddenly felt uneasy, realizing how cunning the dark-haired man was in exploiting the situation for his own gain.
In his place, Rayland’s smile slowly faded, replaced by a cold expression.
The man stared at Rose’s retreating back with a calculating gaze.
‘Does she prefer Seilas?’ Rayland thought sarcastically.
He knew Seilas had been eyeing Rose since freshman year.
However, lately, Seilas seemed to be turning his attention to Lucien more often than Rose, making him think it was a strategy to get close to Rose.
“This is getting more and more interesting!” Rayland muttered quietly to himself.
****** Far from the hustle and bustle of the dormitory, in his magnificent private chamber in the imperial wing, Prince Seilas sat pensively on the edge of the canopy bed.
The room was silent, dimly lit by the mana stones embedded in the marble walls.
Seilas gently massaged his throbbing temples.
Today had been incredibly tiring, not because of palace politics, but because of the chaos inside his own head.
He took a deep breath, trying to rationalize what had happened that afternoon in front of the academy building.
Seilas was the crown prince of the empire; his every action had to be measured, dignified, and calculated.
However, the image of Lucien—the pale young man with traces of blood on the collar of his uniform, who uttered the absurd phrase about a “peaceful resting place”—kept replaying in his mind.
He felt his authority as a high noble collapse at the mere thought of a first year student.
‘What’s wrong with me?’ Seilas thought sharply, maintaining his authority even though there was no one else in the room.
‘Rose was there.
She was standing right in front of me, someone I should have pursued and approached since first year…
but why were my eyes, my attention, and my anxiety completely focused on Lucien?’ Seilas clenched his fists on the silk sheets.
His defenses were still there, unlike most people who were instantly absorbed by the magnetic aura, but they were eroding little by little at an alarming rate.
Every time Lucien looked at him with those lazy and cynical eyes, something in Seilas’ chest felt like it was being called.
“Is it because his gaze is different from the gazes of other people who always look at me?” Seilas muttered softly, doubting his own thoughts.
“No, this doesn’t make any sense.
I can’t let my focus wander.” “Ridiculous,” Seilas muttered coldly into the darkness.
He shook his head, trying to banish the image of the young man from his mind, even though he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly tonight.
No matter how hard he tried to focus on the state documents or the academy assignments on his desk, the image of Lucien’s bored face continued to haunt his mind.
Time flew.
Over the past few days, Lucien had managed to avoid unnecessary drama in the most efficient way possible: During every break, he would sneak into Aryosha’s scholarship room to sleep peacefully.
For Lucien, nothing could compare to the pleasure of lying down without anyone shouting his name.
In the large, quiet library of the academy, Lucien sat alone at the corner of the back table surrounded by piles of thick books.
His head felt like it was going to explode.
Today was the deadline for the history of magic assignment, and if his grades were bad, he would be required to take extra classes at the weekend.
For Lucien, spending the holidays in a supplementary classroom was a form of hellish torture.
He’d rather get it done now than have his weekend ruined.
Facing this mountain of paperwork was far better than having to listen to the tutor’s boring nagging.
“It’s finished,” Lucien sighed softly, closing the last reference book roughly.
He stretched his stiff shoulders, then dropped his head onto the table, enjoying the silence for a moment before returning to his room.
He promised himself he would go to sleep as soon as he reached his soft bed.
However, just as he closed his eyes, a deep voice came from behind the bookshelf right behind his seat.
“It’s finally just the two of us now.
I want you to keep your promise.”